Hey, I’m actually going ahead with part two! Amazing! The fact that nobody is reading this anymore really takes the pressure off. Let’s keep it going! And if you are reading, don’t you have some lawnwork to do or something? Those weeds aren’t gonna pull themselves.

So back in part one, which I posted way, WAY too early (sorry, should have thought of baseball), I gushed and gawked over a bunch of shows upcoming to this year’s Winnipeg Fringe Festival that I was familiar with, be it the show itself or just the performer. But any good Fringe festival, and especially the great ones, are all about the stuff you DON’T know, the shocks and surprises, the bolts from the blue out of left field, and maybe even a third metaphor, thrown in for good measure. As I approached this, I really wasn’t sure how I would structure a post about shows and artists I’ve never even heard of, so I’m just going thru the handy-dandy Fringe Guide (available at yer local Liquor Mart, fellow drunks!) and pick out some of the shows that are drawing my eyes their way, and find out what I can!

For starters, there’s Ellie Heath’s show FAKE’N’BAKE at the John Hirsch mainstage. Well reviewed going in from Edmonton, and there’s some swell stuff to be found on her linktree, including a dynamite music video that lets you know we got talent coming our way. At the same stage is Gwen Coburn and SAD GIRL SONGS: A COMEDY SHOW. I saw my partner the Otter had this one on her must-see list (she loves a musical), and from the videos on her website I’m adding it to mine as well. Creative, funny business!

Moving along we find Fedor Ikelaar and his stand-up comedy show DUDE, WHERE’S MY KARMA? At the MTC up the alley. I gotta figure if someone shleps their comedic wares all the way from the Netherlands to the ‘Peg, they must have something worth sharing. And while Priyanka Shetty’s THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM is from slightly closer in Philadelphia, it chronicles her vaster travels as an immigrant to the US, as well as coming in with a pedigree from the Edinburgh Fringe! That one’s at the Theatre Cercle Moliere, as well as PRAMKICKER from Sadie Hasler, which I really wanna see, because PRAMKICKER is a really fun title. Sometimes it’s the simple things.

Jumping over to Alloway Hall at the museum, we find I LOST ON JEOPARDY from George Buri, who I think my partner knows from her hometown so, yeah, we’re going. It also comes well-reviewed, so that’s a nice plus. And not too far away at the Tom Hendry warehouse we find THE BARBARIAN BOMBSHELLS, another one of those ‘cool-title-gotta-see’ shows. And Sharice Stanislaus’ one-woman interactive MAIL ORDERED sharing the venue sounds like it has the potential to be catastrophically awkward…sorry, I meant ridiculously fun. Same difference, really.

The Cinematheque is hosting a ton of cool-sounding shows, including the queer double bill of LESBIHONEST from Laura Piccinin and ALWAYS BECAUSE: THE ADVENTURES OF MAGGIE AND MEGHAN, both of which were just at my hometown Fringe in Ottawa and I’m glad they’ve made the trip out here! I’m also psyched for Natasha Mercado’s incredible sounding TREE. Really, they had me at ‘clown show’.

What’s left? So terribly much! I’m trying to keep myself from literally just retyping the Fringe program, but it all looks spiffy to me. THE MURKY PLACE sounds like a terribly cool dance piece, working in Icelandic lullabies for that viking flourish. Also dancing at the Rachel Browne Theatre is PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER from local heroines hiljames movement. Is it the danciest venue this year? Time will tell!

Dropping a mention for DOG-GONE by Brenda McFarlane and Farfetched Productions, because it’s the first Fringe poster I saw in the wild this year, and that makes me smile. Also, dogs! And cheers the THE LIFE HENRI for reaching out and sending me their press materials, which makes me feel all official and stuff! Also, I see their show is directed by the amazing Laura Anne Harris (Pitch Blond, woohoo!), so them’s some unimpeachable Fringe credentials right there.

And still more! Shelby Bond’s DUNGEONS AND SHAKESPEARE at the Royal Albert Arms sounds like a very special and trippy treat indeed, and I cannot wait to see THE FAMILY CROW: A MURDER MYSTERY over at the Prairie Theatre Exchange, because I love me some puppets. Also, murder. What can I say, it’s been a year. And I mentioned earlier I was a bit of a clown man (not to brag, but yes, I’ve been to clown camp) so OLD FOP sounds almost too good to be true, over at the CCFM. Likewise EVERYTHING IS SUPER WOW at Theatre Cercle Moliere Studio, from Spec Theatre.

Honestly, I could go on like this for a good while, but my knee is starting to ache a bit and I can’t figure out a natural ending point for this well-intentioned ramble, so I’m picking one last clown-centric show, OKIE DOKIE at the Cre8ery, as my final unknown pick of Fringe to see this year. Lord knows we could all use come more clowning in our lives lately, and Fringe is a great place to find it.

See all these shows, see all the ones I haven’t mentioned, whichever strikes your fancy. Just get out and see some shows! What with Hollywood on strike now, this is a great way to get out and actually support current, working artists without crossing a picket line. Check out the Winnipeg Fringe website, linked at the top, for all your scheduling needs (and the purchasing of advance tickets if you are feeling anxious). Fringe is drawing close and it comes but once a year, so have at it and I’ll see you around the Exchange! Peace, love and soul,

The Visitor (aka Kevin)